Philadelphia School To Begin Randomly Drug Testing Students

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The next test for students at St. Joseph’s Prep school won’t require a pen and paper – it’ll take a single strand of hair.

“Our hope is to educate them and treat them individually with respect,” says Principal Jason Zazyczny.

The school will start randomly drug testing 20 students a month in March – not because of any specific incident at the school, but to combat teen drug use in general.

“We’ve been very transparent with what we’re doing – we want them to be successful, we want them to know we care, we want them to know that what we’re doing is what we feel is in their best interest,” agrees Bill Gillespie, the director of counseling.

Administrators say their goal is to help students, not expel them. The first failed drug test leads to counseling.